Tracking implementation part of review - Growth plan performance


NRU
April 1, 2015
By Leah Wong

The province has released a first look in how effectively the Growth Plan is being implemented across the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

As part of the coordinated review of the Growth Plan, Greenbelt Plan, Niagara Escarpment Plan and Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Plan, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing has introduced 14 performance indicators to track implementation of the Growth Plan. A separate set of indicators has been developed to monitor implementation of the three greenbelt plans.

The Growth Plan indicators were developed by provincial staff following a review of best practices and expert and stakeholder consultation and a draft was released in early 2014. The recently released performance indicators include two new environmental indicators to measure watershed conditions and transportation sector greenhouse gas emissions. Also, the greenfield area density indicator has been significantly revised from the draft .

The ministry is proposing to report the data analysis for these performance indicators following the release of Census/National Household Survey every five years. Preliminary results are included in the indicator document.

The indicators are organized in four themes: building compact and efficient communities; creating vibrant and complete communities; planning and managing growth to support a strong and competitive economy and protecting, conserving, enhancing and wisely using natural resources.

BUILDING COMPACT AND EFFICIENT COMMUNITIES

Many municipalities in the GGH have achieved, or exceeded, their 2015 intensification targets and urban growth centre densities. The Growth Plan requires that by 2015, a minimum of 40 per cent of residential development within each upper- and single-tier municipality lies within its built-up area. Between 2007 and 2010 the region’s upper- and single-tier municipalities achieved an average annual intensification rate of 60 per cent. As of 2011 all but three urban growth centres had achieved more than 20 per cent of their 2031 target densities.

Major transit station area density is a baseline against which density changes in the future can be measured. It shows how area densities compare with target densities set out in the Growth Plan.

Designated greenfield area density is defined by lot sizes, mix of housing and estimated densities. As of 2011 residential lot sizes in designated greenfield areas were smaller than in previous decades. At that time estimated densities across the entire designated greenfield area were 51 people and jobs combined per hectare in the inner ring and 23 people and jobs combined per hectare in the outer ring (beyond the Greenbelt). The planned densities in the inner ring were set for 50 people and jobs per hectare, while a number of outer ring municipalities have lower minimum density targets.

CREATING VIBRANT AND COMPLETE COMMUNITIES

Between 2006 and 2011 there has been a shift in housing types towards higher density development across the region. While the condo sector in Toronto has been strong during this time, outside of the city single-detached housing is the dominant type. In 2013, 87 per cent of new housing units in Toronto were apartments, while 47 per cent of new units in the inner ring (excluding Toronto) and 57 per cent in the outer ring were single-detached houses.

The urban growth centres are performing higher than designated greenfield areas with respect to many of the complete community characteristics. Their diversity of land uses is higher, with the highest diversity values in urban growth centres with historic downtowns such as Guelph, Barrie and Waterloo. Residential units are also more likely to be located within 800 metres of community amenities in centres than in designated greenfield areas. They are also more pedestrian-friendly.

PLAN AND MANAGE GROWTH TO SUPPORT A STRONG AND COMPETITIVE ECONOMY

Results for transportation modal split and trip distance by mode will provide a baseline for future comparisons. Between 2006 and 2011 there was minimal change in the per cent of trips made by each mode of transportation, but auto trips for the morning commute decreased by 1 per cent. In that time period the median distance for all trips grew slightly, with the exception being auto trips in the inner ring, which decreased.

Major office space locations indicate that since 2006 there has been 16.9-million square feet of office space built or under construction in the GTA. Approximately 66 per cent was located in urban growth centres and major transit station areas.

PROTECT, CONSERVE, ENHANCE AND WISELY USE NATURAL RESOURCES

The indicator of watershed conditions looks at the percentage of impervious services, natural cover, wetland and woodland features in GGH watersheds. The current results serve as a baseline to assess changes in watershed conditions and are presented in relation to Environment Canada’s minimum guidelines for watershed coverage. Of the 124 sub-watersheds in the region, 77 per cent have less than 10 per cent impervious surfaces, 65 per cent are more than 10 per cent wetlands and 14 per cent have more than 30 per cent woodland cover.

The ministry has also released baselines for transportation greenhouse gas emissions. The City of Toronto had the largest amount of total GHG transportation emissions, but the lowest per capita. Upper- and single-tier municipalities in the outer ring had lower emission rates, but higher per capita transportation emissions.

At this time there are no results for the land consumption indicator, as it will only be measured if there is a settlement area expansion beyond the built boundaries set when municipal official plans were brought in conformity with the Growth Plan.